The Pulpit Commentary — Job — Section 73

OHAPTER. IV. point of falling, has been stopped in time by thy wise words and good advice to him. Job having ended his complaint, Eliphe.z This is a strong testimony to Job's l1inclli- the Temanite, the first-named of bis three ness of heart, and active sympathy with friends (eh. ii. 11), e.nd perhaps the eldest aufferers during the period of his prosperity. of them, te.kcs the word, and endeavolll's to And thou hast strengthened the feeble knees ; literally, the bowing knees - those answer him. After a brief apology for ven- that were just on the point of collapsing turing to speak at all (ver. 2), he plunges an,l giving way through exhaustion or into the controversy. Job bas assumed that feebleness (comp. Isa. xxxv. 3). he is wholly guiltless of having given e.ny Ver. 5.-lhit now it is come upon thee, ea.use for God to afflict him. Eliphaz lays and thou faintest. Now it is thy turn- calamity has come upon thee, and all that it down in the most positive terzps (vers. 7, thou wert wont to say to others is forgotten. 8) that the innocent never suffer, only the The wil,e physician cannot heal l,imself. wicked are afflicted. He then passes on to Instead of receiving thy chastisement in a the description of a vision which has ap- right spirit, thou "faintest," or rather, '' thou peared to him (vers. 12-21), from which art angry, art offended "-as the same verb is also to be translated in the second verse. he has learnt the lesson that men mllJlt There is a tone of sarcasm about these not presume to be "more wise than their remarks, which implies a certain hardnes, Maker." and want of real affection in the speaker, and which cannot but have been perceived Ver.1.-Then Eliphaz the Temanite an- by Job, and have detracted from the force 1wered and ,said ·(see the comment on oh. of what Eliphaz urged. If one has to ii. 11). rebuke a friend, it should be done with Ver. 2.-If we assay to oommune with great delh·acy. Our "precious balms " thee, wilt thou be grieved 1 rather, If-one should not be ..Ilowed to "break hil! head " assay a word against thee, wilt thou be (Ps. cxli. 6). It toucheth thee, and thou angry 1 Eliphaz feels that what he is about art troubled; or, perplezed-" confou11de<l." to say will be unwelcome, and, as it were, Ver. 6.-Is not this thy fear, thy con- apologizes beforehand. Slll'ely Job will not 11.denoe, thy hope, and the uprightness of be ang-ry if a friend just ventures a w:ord. thy ways l Translate, with the Revised But who oan withhold himself from &peak- Version, Is not thy fear of God thy c •n- ing l Let Job be aagry, or not, Eliphaz .fidence, and thy hope the integrity of thy m1U1t speak. It is impossible to hear such ways f The verse is composed, as usual, words as Job bas uttered, and yet keep of two clauses, balancing each other; and silence. God's wisdom and justice have the meaniug seems to be that, if Job i, as been impugned, and must be vindicated. convinced of bis piety and uprightness as he Ver. 3.-Behold, thou ha~t instruoted professes to be, he onght still to maiuta.in many ; or, corrected many. When others confidence in God, and a full expectation of have been afflicted and murmured, thou deliverance from his troubles. If be does hast correoted them, nnd shown them that not, what is the natural inference? Surely, they were suffering only what they de- that he is not so confident of hill innocence served to suffer. In so doing, thou hast as he profeijses to be. atrengthened .the weak hands ; " given Ver. 7.-Remember, I pray thee, who ever moral strength," .i.e., "to those who wero perished, being innooent l The heart of the morally weak," upheld them, sn.ved them mutter is now approached. Job is ct11led from impatient words and h1ml thoughts upon to "remember·• the long-establishe<l of God. moml axiom, that only evil-lloing brings Ver. 4.-Thy word& have upholden him down upon men calamities, und th,\t there- that wu fallmg. Many a mnn, just on the fore, where calamities fall, there must be  68 THE BOOK OF JOB. [ OH, IV, 1-21,